Unauthorised Absence
Synopsis
As Anna fights for support, she faces mounting scrutiny from the school and local authority. She is blamed for Thea’s behaviour, instructed to attend parenting courses and ultimately served financial fines for repeated “unauthorised absence”. Her daughter’s needs remain unrecognised, the morning routine is reduced to a battle of increasing violence, and Anna is pushed to breaking point.
Threatened with criminal prosecution, on the brink of losing her job and now in a state of complete exhaustion, Anna attempts a final school drop- off. Thea, in a state of sensory overwhelm, takes desperate measures to avoid a public meltdown which ends in unspeakable tragedy.
Yet, the calls from the school continue: a relentless reminder that, to the system, Anna's young daughter remains little more than another “unauthorised absence”.
Details
- Year
- 2026
- Type of project
- Shorts
- Running time
- 15 min 50 sec
- Format
- Digital
- Director
-
Georgia Parris
- Producer
- Natalie Lauren
- Executive Producer
- Alix Wilton Regan, Jennifer English, Hugh Viney, Anna Maxwell Martin
- Editor
- Zeb Achonu
- Screenwriter
- Jo Clayton
- Director of Photography
- Evelin van Rei, NSC
- Production Designer
- Sarah Mursal
- Sound
- Udit Duseja
- Composer
- Isin Eray
- Principal cast
- Emily Bruni, Beatrice Flaherty, Natalie Lauren, Amy Booth Steel, Cathy Tyson, Nicole Sadie Sawyerr, Sabil Suleman, Anna Maxwell Martin
- Colourist
- Greg Fisher
- Casting Director
- Emma Sylvester
- Costume Designer
- Louisa Parris
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
MIMESIC Ltd
Floor 4, Silverstream House45 Fitzroy Street
London
W1T 6EB
Page updates
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